Anger Management
by 1tT4k3sTw0
Summary: Gideon Grey has reluctantly joined an anger management class and forced to spend time with his old victim Sharla. The young sheep is also less than thrilled. But time spent together may show these two are more similar than they know.
1. Chapter 1

Ch. 1: Matching Eyes

 _Think Before You Speak_

Sharla had nearly had a heart attack when she walked into her house and found a fox in the kitchen. And it wasn't just any fox but the old schoolyard bully Gideon Grey. Sharla hadn't been this close to him since middle school, she having temporarily left Bunnyburrow to study for ZASA during highschool.

She had been back for only three days and now the boy who had plagued her childhood with insults and pushes was in her _house_.

The fox jolted when he heard her bleat of surprise and had whirled around with bristled fur, Sharla saw his right arm was in a sling.

"Sharla, you're home!" her mother, calmly standing beside the fox, smiled at her. "Perfect timing. Gideon and I were just about to get some fresh baked cookies out of the oven."

Sharla could only blink.

.

Gideon had seriously considered running away when his parents informed him he would be taking anger management classes. He didn't _need_ anger management classes, especially not from some _sheep_.

Mrs. Clover was a far too optimistic sheep who insisted on one on one classes, that way they could form a "bond" and "connect". It made Gideon want to vomit.

This was completely unfair and all because he had fought with a pack of bulls. He had already gotten his arm broken during that scuffle. Hadn't he suffered enough?

It was his third day with Mrs. Clover (class was on every Friday), and she was blabbing how the cookies she was baking was a metaphor for change. A sudden bleat had had him turning around to see a vaguely familiar sheep his age.

"Sharla, you're home!" Mrs. Clover cooed happily.

 _Oh_ , she blinked. Now he remembered she was one of his old victims, she had disappeared during high school, he hadn't realized she came back.

Mrs. Clover walked over to her daughter and quickly explained why the fox was here. Bored of the two sheep he turned back to looking at the cookies through the oven. Being raised by bakers cooking had always calmed him.

He did not need anger management.

.

"Come eat cookies with us," Mrs. Clover whispered to Sharla. "You'd be a good influence on him."

The quiet sheep moved her eyes to the hooves that were interlocked with her mother's. The Clovers were a flock of snowy white wool. Sharla was the only black sheep. And she doubted she'd be any kind of influence on Gideon, the stocky fox looked like he had forgotten the two sheep were there.

"I'm not..." Sharla began but in the end she couldn't say no to her mother's hopeful expression, "Sure, Mom."

Her mother ushered her to stand by Gideon while Mrs. Clover pulled the finished cookies out of the oven. Sharla had instantly tensed up when she was placed next to her old bully, so close she could feel his body heat. She swallowed and forced herself not to step away.

.

Gideon wasn't surprised to see Sharla tense up once she was placed beside him. And he wasn't bothered by it either. In fact maybe he could go home early if Mrs. Clover saw how uncomfortable he made her daughter.

"Try one, both of you," Mrs. Clover encouraged once the cookies were on a plate.

Both teenagers picked up an oatmeal cookie, Sharla softly blowing on it before taking a tentative bite. Gideon however, took a moment to examine his cookie, noticing the burnt edges and how crumbs fell though he barely moved it.

He took a small bite and wasn't surprised to find that the cookie tasted terrible. And he had no qualms with telling Mrs. Clover that.

The sheep didn't so much as blink at the bluntly rude comment, but Sharla turned to him with a scowl. "No it isn't! They taste good to me!"

Gideon turned his head to meet her eyes and the smaller sheep flinched but stood her ground.

"That just means yer taste is as bad as these cookies," he replied dryly.

If sheep could bristle Sharla would be doing just that.

But her mother's sudden gasp brought their attention back to her. She was staring at them with a strange grin, "You have the same eyes!"

Gideon fought the urge to look back at Sharla to confirm him as he had never paid attention to her, or anyone's, eye color.

"They're exactly the same," Mrs. Clover was still gushing. "You know what that means, it means your kindred spirits!"

She took Gideon's paw and Sharla's hoof and for a horrifying moment the fox thought she was going to make them hold hands.

"Just because we both have blue eyes doesn't make us kindred spirits, Mom," Sharla said, expression awkward.

"Oh yes you are," Mrs. Clover would not be proven wrong. "I can see it, you're both so alike."

Gideon could've gagged, but then the grip on his paw tightened.

He looked at the older sheep who eyes were just a trace harder, "However, Gideon you need to work on thinking before speaking. Hurting someone's feelings doesn't benefit anyone."

Gideon opened his jaws to tell her what he thought of that, but in a blur of movement Mrs. Clover shoved another cookie in his mouth, silencing him.

"There you see," she smiled sweetly while the fox coughed, "You'll find it's not so hard to keep that handsome muzzle shut."


	2. Chapter 2

Ch. 2: Fox in a Flock

"Gideon _Grey_!?"

Sharla cringed at the shocked yell that blared from her phone. "He was at your house? Why?"

"He's a student for my mother's anger management classes," Sharla explained.

She sat cross-legged on her old childhood bed, her laptop opened before her. She had been looking for any part-time jobs when a friend called.

Berry had been bullied by Gideon as well and Sharla hadn't been surprised by the bunny's reaction. "But didn't you tell her how awful he was to us?" Berry asked.

"Even if I did schoolyard bullies are her bread and butter," Sharla pointed out, ending her words with a sigh. "She'll just be more inspired to reform him."

Berry let out a noise of disbelief, "Like that would ever happen. You poor thing, you're gonna be stuck with that jerk forever."

"Thanks for the comforting words, Berry," Sharla said dryly.

"Hey," she could hear the bunny shrug, "We can't all be Judy Hopps."

Sharla's shoulders drooped, Judy Hopps was exactly what she needed. The bunny, like Sharla, had left Bunnyburrow but unlike her Judy was flourishing at the ZPD Academy. She was going to make her dreams come true. And Sharla bet if she was here she would put Gideon in his place.

Well, Judy wasn't here so Sharla would have to do it herself. It wasn't like she was good at anything else.

.

Gideon sat across from Mrs. Clover in the sheep's spick and span living room.

Today his lesson was about using his words.

"It's the most effective form of conversation," she explained the obvious. "It is more effective and far more awarding than answering with anger."

Gideon gave her a droll look, "Is that a fact?"

The hard glint in her brown eyes returned and Gideon locked his lips immediately. He then mentally growled at himself for letting a _sheep_ scare him.

"Look Missus Clover," he began using his 'words'. "It don't matter how I act. Im'a fox." His voice grew into a growl, "I could spend all day pickin' flowers and kissin' babies, ain't no one who's gonna see more than a _fox_."

Mrs. Clover nodded knowingly (as if she knew _anything_ ) and wrote something down in her notebook. "So you suffer from self-doubt."

Gideon blinked, where did she get that?!

"And you're letting it manifest into unchecked rage and aggression."

The stocky fox narrowed his eyes. Was she making this up as she went along?

"That's something we can work with," she nodded again, wearing a proud smile as she basically stole his parents' money.

Footsteps on the stairs announced the arrival of Sharla, wrapped up in a purple coat and blue knee high skirt. her frown deepened when she saw Gideon on the couch and he almost bared his teeth at her.

"Sharla! Splendid news! I found the root of Gideon's problem!" She jumped to her feet, "And we'll discuss it over tea, be back in a moment!"

Mrs. Clover scurried to the kitchen, leaving Gideon with her daughter. And the fox didn't waste time giving his opinion to Sharla. "Your ma might as well be burning my parents' money."

She glared at him, "She said she figured out your problem. Found out you're a total jerk?"

He let out an amused snort, "That supposed to hurt my feelings?"

Sharla made a noise similar to a growl and straightened her spine. "Look Gideon Grey, I came down here to lay down some ground rules."

Gideon's thick brows rose, he was still darkly amused that this sheep was trying to stand up to him with her knees knocking. She cleared her throat and kept on, "You might be bigger but you can't boss me around like when we were kids. Judy Hopps might not be here but I'm willing to be a substitute."

His brows lowered at the mention of that pesky dumb bunny who had nearly broken his snout all those years ago. Gideon's claws dug into his pant leg.

As if reading his mind Sharla added: "I won't hesitate to hit you, I don't care how my mom reacts."

Gideon let out a rude chuckle then stood up. Sharla flinched when he suddenly stood nose to nose with her. "Then hit me."

"Wh-What?" she stammered, shaking under his gaze but not running away.

"Go ahead and hit me," he breathed. "Cause I plan on using yer ma's advice and use my words. And I'm sure I can make you a sobbing mess with just a few words."

Sharla silently glared at him, still shaking and Gideon noticed she was wearing some kind of rosy perfume. It was a nice scent but it, like everything else in life, didn't distract from the fact that he was a fox. And this sheep hated him for it.

"Oh goodness!"

Mrs. Clover had returned with iced tea and was looking at the two with a wide smile. "Are you two about to kiss?"

Gideon jumped back so quickly he nearly tripped over the coffee table. "No!"  
Mrs. Clover only giggled, placing the tea down, "Whatever you say love birds. Sharla, darling, want some tea?"

Her daughter was already shaking her head, "N-no, Mom." Her voice was wobbling, "I-I'm going upstairs." She quickly turned on her heel, not knowing Gideon watched her go.


	3. Chapter 3

Ch. 3: Red Buzz:

 _Get some exercise_

Mrs. Clover was giggling at the 'hilarity' that the Greentree Trail was currently full of yellows and red thanks to autumn.

The stocky fox glanced at Sharla on Mrs. Clover's other side; she didn't find her mother's joke anymore endearing.

Gideon's eyes moved from Sharla's face to south, examining the track suit she currently wore. White with purple stripes it showed off her arms and legs. Gideon's eyes pulled away when he felt like he was starting to stare. He was wearing an old pair of jeans and a short sleeved ivory shirt that matched the sling that held his arm to his chest.

Speaking of his sling… "Are ya sure hiking with a broken arm is a good idea?"

"Of course," Mrs. Clover waved his worries away. "One way to get rid of anger is by running it off."

"But Mother I don't have any anger to run off," Sharla pointed out meekly. Gideon remembered how she talked to him like she would bite off his ear.

"Yes but I rather you spend time with me than alone in your stuffy room," Mrs. Clover answered.

Gideon rolled his eyes, ignoring the young ewe's glare. Mrs. Clover started the jog into Greentree, Sharla fast walking after while Gideon just walked.

"You won't get a view like this in the big city!" Mrs. Clover said from up front, enjoying the picturesque scenes of foliage.

Gideon resisted the urge to point out Zootopia has parks and instead tuned her cheerful banter out, his blue eyes turning back to Sharla.

 _Why_ his eyes moved to her he had no idea. But be supposed he could admit-to himself-that Sharla was nice to look at. He almost could call her pretty when she wasn't glaring at him and waiting for him to take a bite out of her.

 _Stay away_!  
Sharla must have felt his eyes on her, she turned and scowled at him before his eyes moved away, his vision going unfocused.

 _We don't want to play with you_!

Gideon shook his head, feeling his brain buzz with red. Why was he bringing that awful day up now? It was hotter than usual today, maybe the heat was getting to him.

Mrs. Clover's sudden elated gasp distracted him, dragging his eyes back to her just in time to see her heading to a short, almost invisible trail on the side of the main path. "I know this old trail! It leads to an old pond I used to go to!"

"Mother, wait!" Sharla called out but the older sheep had vanished.

Gideon stopped next to the black ewe, staring where Mrs. Clover had disappeared. "I'm not followin' her."

"Me neither." Sharla moaned in exasperation and sat on the path, chin resting in her hooves. "Why did she have to drag me into this?"

"Why did she have to drag _me_ into this?" Gideon's voice came out as a growl.

She looked up at him, "Because you have anger issues."

"I do not!" he snapped and Sharla flinched. "…I do not," he repeated in a quieter but still angry tone.

"And I'm sure you got your arm hurt because you were _happy_ ," she mocked.

Gideon pulled his lip back to show off his teeth, "Funny, can't remember this being any of your business."

Sharla shot up to her feet and faced him with a full on glare, "And I can't remember deserving any of this! My mom is trying to help you be a better mammal but all you do is treat her with disrespect! You don't even _care_ how awful you've been to literally every mammal you've met! It's a wonder you ever had any friends!"

 _No one wants to be your friend!_

"I don't either!" Gideon yelled back. "I mean why would they? _I'm a fox after all_!"

Sharla blinked, taken aback by his words. "What?"

"You heard me!"

"You think I give a damn that you're a fox? I hate you because you were dead set on making mine and my friends' life a living hell!"

"Then why did you come back?" Gideon demanded. "I thought you wanted to go off and be an _astronaut_." He said the last word like it was as ridiculous as her suddenly sprouting wings and flying away.

Sharla took a full step back, her expression a mixture of astonishment and heartbreak. Gideon felt a twinge that he would realize was guilt if he didn't still see red. Awful words rolling in his head: _Mangy, untrustworthy, fox, fox, fox_.

Sharla's eyes turned glassy and Gideon waited for her to cry. But instead she smacked his shoulder. And thought it didn't hurt him it made them both stare at each other with wide eyes, shocked.

"Well, well, well."

Mrs. Clover returned to the main path, giving them both a disapproving look. Her sudden appearance made the two wound up teens jump. "I'm gone for less than a minute, I counted, and you two are at each other's throats. I now have two patients." Her smile sent cold water down Gideon's spine. "And I know just what method to use."

 **A/N: Short but good news! Mrs. C's next method is actually successful.**


End file.
